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daleste
This is a great achievement. Integrating MEMs on CMOS chips will speed the ...
kinnar
Baolab has started working on a no mans' land, this is really a remarkable ...
Baolab buried MEMS in production on CMOS line
Peter Clarke
1/16/2012 9:58 AM EST
LONDON – Baolab Microsystems SL (Barcelona, Spain) a startup pioneering the creation of microelectromechancial systems (MEMS) within the metal interconnect layers of CMOS wafers, has announced that will offer evaluation kits for its tri-axis compass by the end of February 2012.
"We are now producing NanoEMS sensors in volume in a standard CMOS production line." said Dave Doyle, Baolab's CEO, in a statement. Doyle did not name the foundry producing the tri-axis compass but has in the past gone on the record saying that Baolab is "working with two of the largest foundries in the world."
"The move from lab to fab is a significant milestone for the company, proving that our innovative technology is reliable, scalable and repeatable. This was the critical stage that our customers have been waiting for," said Doyle. "NanoEMS makes it much easier and more cost effective to integrate MEMS sensors with microcontrollers and associated electronics all on the same chip in the same CMOS production line. This is the breakthrough that will enable high volume, consumer electronics products to have intelligent sensors, meeting the increasing demand for smarter, more aware devices," he added.
Baolab, founded in 2003, has a vision of NanoEMS structures incorporated into ASICs for applications such as RF antennas, switches and Near Field Communications.
Applications that Baolab is investigating include: vibrating antenna; thermo-magnetic RF switches & antennas; modal switches within on-chip transmission lines; integrated inductors, transformers, capacitors; RF filters; and charge pump power converters.
Baolab Microsystems entered the Silicon 60, EE Times' list of emerging startup companies at version 10.0 in April 2010. The latest edition of the Silicon 60 is version 12.5, which is the subject of a detailed technology and employment digital edition which can be accessed via http://e.ubmelectronics.com/Silicon60/index.html
EE Times Confidential is working on a MEMS Sector Profile and Database report and if you would be interested in being advised when copies are available, please send an email to peter.clarke@ubm.com
Related links and articles:
www.baolab.com
News articles:
Baolab MEMS-in-CMOS aims at compass
Startup builds MEMS in standard CMOS processes
CellGuide Announces Cliox-C, a MEMS-enhanced GPS chip
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kinnar
1/16/2012 12:31 PM EST
Baolab has started working on a no mans' land, this is really a remarkable achievement, it will surely going to create ease in the interfacing the MEMS and that will also tend to increase the use of MEMS in electronic devices.
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daleste
1/16/2012 10:45 PM EST
This is a great achievement. Integrating MEMs on CMOS chips will speed the proliferation and reduce the cost. I wonder how many additional layers/steps are required to do this. When EEPROM was integrated on the microcontroller chips, the problem is that the entire chip is now processed at the higher cost for the additional process steps. It can still be lower system cost, but customers expect the chip to be much lower price.
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